Late Invergordon councillor honoured with new school citizenship award
A CITIZENSHIP award honouring the memory of a former Invergordon councillor has been handed to a pupil in the town for the first time, marking the start of a new annual tradition.
Amongst the awards handed out at the end of term prizegiving at South Lodge Primary School was the John R Connell Award for Citizenship, which was given to Primary 7 pupil Tyler Mills.
The school’s new head teacher David Hayes-MacLeod had a very personal reason for taking pride in establishing the new award as the late Mr Connell, who passed away three years ago after a short illness, was his stepfather.
Mr Hayes-MacLeod explained: “John became my stepfather after marrying my mum in 2010. He was so passionate about Invergordon and its youth and it was actually an idea that my mum asked if I would be happy to establish here at South Lodge for years to come in his memory.
“I was more than happy to be able to create this lasting legacy to his memory.”
The award will be presented to a pupil at the school who has demonstrated resilience, determination and the pure love of getting a job done well, qualities associated with Mr Connell from his days as a councillor.
Tyler Mills was deemed a worthy first recipient by class teacher Katharine Waters, who said: “Tyler thoroughly deserves this award. Throughout the year he has displayed a positive work ethic and has approached all tasks with enthusiasm. He has been an excellent role model and an asset to the school.”
Mr Hayes-MacLeod added: “I think John would be very proud that Tyler was the first winner of this trophy. I also think he would be proud that his own name will live on established in an award that celebrates the qualities that he so easily portrayed.”
Mr Connell’s widow, Alda Connell was invited by her son to come and present the award to it’s first recipient.
Mrs Connell said: “Everything John achieved in life he did by hard work which is why he would have been so pleased to have his name on the citizenship award. I am very honoured to have been asked to present the first John R Connell award for Citizenship and I am also very proud to have been invited to do this by my son.”
As a councillor he was credited for his involvement in rehousing occupants of the former Joss Street flats in the town due to the contaminated land on which the flats were situated. He was also credited with being the person who set up the public meetings to gather support for Invergordon Museum, amongst several other achievements.